Isabella Ch. 02

"I know it was an honor to know you too." When Nat saw confusion on Juan Carlos's face she explained, "She thinks that she can save him but she's not sure that she won't kill herself in the process, so she's saying goodbye to the last person she knows."

Isabella moved to sit next to Rafa with her back to the group of centaurs. She shook her head and stood back up.

"Is she not even going to try?" Juan Carlos asked.

Nat stepped over to Isabella as Isabella reached out to her.

"She's going to try but he's worse than she thought. She's going to need to be touching him with more than just her hand." Isabella started undoing the lacing at the front of her dress. Nat went over to her forgotten dinner and picked up a sharp knife. She quickly started cutting up the right sleeve of the dress. When she cut the last strip away the dress fell to the floor and Isabella once again went to Rafa; the centaurs could see that even though she was determined, she was embarrassed at the fact of her nakedness. A blush crept up her neck and over her cheeks. She took two deep breaths as she kneeled next to Rafa again, keeping her back to her watchers. She placed her left hand on his right shoulder and pressed her arm against his chest. She also pressed her lips against his left shoulder and pressed her side and thigh against his. Almost immediately they could see why she wanted them to leave. Where ever skin touched Rafa, she took on the same sickly grayish-blue of Rafa's; they watched in amazement as it slowly crept across her back till her whole body looked like Rafa. Then the vine on her hand started to wither. After about twenty minutes Rafa's coloring started to slowly improve, but the veins under the skin still appeared like black rivers. All of the centaurs noticeable relaxed as they could hear Rafa's breathing also getting easier.

When Rafa finally started to move, it was with the slow movement of someone in a deep sleep. He lifted his head as his body found a more comfortable position of being on his belly instead of his side. It was after a few minutes before he folded his legs up and tucked them in. When they couldn't tuck in all the way because of how Isabella was sitting he opened his eyes. His eyes had that glassy look of a fever but when he looked at Isabella he smiled weakly. He then wrapped his arms around her and placed his head on her shoulder. Almost immediately Isabella's head jerked and her whole body tensed. Juan Carlos had a feeling if she could have spoken she'd be screaming right now. The black veins in his face, hands and arms were soon leaving and showing themselves on Isabella. Juan Carlos could barely believe his eyes at how quickly Rafa was recovering; it had barely been an hour since she first touched him and now he looked healthy. Even the cut that had introduced the poison was now healed. She, on the other hand looked worse; her skin was an ashier gray then Rafa's had been and the veins were almost as black as a starless sky. Rafa opened his eyes and looked surprised to be in the longhouse with this family looking at him. He was about to speak and move when Nat stopped him.

"Don't move Rafa, she needs to focus on getting the poison out of her body and into the plant. The poison is a lot more concentrated in her smaller body. It will take longer for her to filter it out."

Nat was right; it took another three hours as Rafa watched worriedly over her. The plant went from being weathered to brown. If he hadn't seen it before, Juan Carlos would have thought that it had been dead for weeks. Then the plant basically disintegrated in her hand as her body slumped completely into Rafa. He pulled her close, but looked at Nat. She rushed over and placed Isabella's hand on her cheek and spoke her name; Isabella's eyes opened for only a brief moment she must have asked a question because Nat spoke to her.

"He's just fine; well he's worried about you." Isabella looked over and relished it was Rafa holding her. She smiled and snuggled closer to Rafa. Nat laughed as she looked at Rafa.

"She'll be just fine, but she may be out for a few days." Nat then handed him the cup of water "Try and get her to drink some while I talk with the others."

Nat turned and locked eyes with Juan Carlos. "If you don't mind I don't want her to be moved right now. I think she has proven she's no threat, or do you want her tied up again?"Nat asked sarcastically.

"Tied up? You tied her up!" Rafa yelled as he surged to his feet still holding Isabella. He swayed for a moment, but his eyes burned with a fierce rage.

"She saved my life and you tied her up!?"

"We didn't know she could save you from the poison." Juan Carlos tired to explain putting his hands up in a soothing gesture. Even though he was the king of this tribe he knew that if Rafa had chosen this girl as his mate; Rafa would kill for her.

"I didn't mean from the poison. She beheaded the guy who poisoned me. She also prevented one of his men from stabbing me in the back."

Juan Carlos looked confused. "There were no bodies anywhere near you when we found you. Maybe you should explain."

"I'll explain but can we get water heated? I'd like to wash this mud off of Isabella and get her in a blanket." Rafa looked around and said in a soft apologetic voice, "I'll also only explain to you, your majesty everyone else needs to leave. I don't like you all seeing her this way." He pulled her loser trying to hide her messy but very naked body form the view of the others. Juan Carlos nodded understanding Rafa's emotions he made a hand gesture that sent the others outside. Then he settled down to hear Rafa's story.

As the others left, Rafa nuzzled into Isabella, taking comfort in the warmth coming off of her body. Nat pulled the pot of water off of the fire. She poured it into a bucket of cold to make it just warm enough to wash her with. She then handed Rafa a cloth. Rafa told both of them his story. By the time he was done telling them he had her washed and all wrapped up in a clean blanked that Nat had handed him. He then looked down at Isabella. Her hair still had some mud caked in the dark curls but it would have to wait till she could sit up for him to comb it out. His face showed nothing but worry and fear.

"Don't worry Rafa. If she was going to die, she would have already. She's just had a long day and done some very strong healing. When she saved that colt last year Apolo took her home and helped her guards watch over her. It took a week for her to recover. Granted that wasn't as bad as your poisoning. She probably will be waking up in a few days and, just be very tired and weak for a week or two after that. In that pot on the table is some chicken soup. See if you can get her to swallow some of it. Juan Carlos, I'll show you out I think you should go tell Sebastián about his son and his soon to be daughter-in-law. I think you may be able to calm him down. Tomorrow if I can get Rafa pried away from her I think he can talk to his father then."

"Yes, I think I will do that, it has been a long day for all of us." A very tired Juan Carlos quickly left the long house.

Nat picked up a blanket and wrapped it around Rafa's shoulders. "I know you would never ask right now, but Isabella probably will kill me if I let you get sick again. I'll see you tomorrow."

With that Nat left Rafa and Isabella alone. Rafa looked worriedly down at her. He noticed how she still has a slightly rosy hue from the washing he gave to her, but he could see the gray hue that was creeping back in around the edges. He gently rubbed his fingers over her cheek as he watched it fade. Now that they were alone he shifted her body a little. He pulled her so her hip was resting on his pulling her knees up to give his arousal some room. He was glad that her body had hid it from Nat and Juan Carlos while they had talked but now it was uncomfortable to be touching her and knowing she was too weak to do anything with. He watched as her eyes danced under their lids as she dreamed. He gently and curiously lifted her hand and pressed it to his temple. He was immediately immersed in her dream. At first it was just a swirl of green, grays and blues. As it came into focus He saw Isabella, she had walked into a pond that had been formed by a waterfall falling from the cliffs above. She walked in so that the water was at her knees. The gossamer white cloth that was tied around her neck crossed over her breast and fanned behind her floating on the water. As the waves moved they caused it to open like a curtain from just below her breast showing him her soft belly, wide hips and the dark triangle of hair at the apex of her thighs. She had not realized that he was there; she was running her hands over the water and laughing softly at the feel of it.

When she did sense him watching her she blushed as she turned and smiled at him. She took some steps back into deeper water. Rafa smiled and ran in after her. His powerful stride sent up a spray over her as she playfully ran into even deeper water. He caught her and swirled her in the water till she faced him. He laughed at the pure joy that radiated off of her. Her eyes were a joyful honeyed hue. He held her savoring the vibrant softness of her. In his own mind he pushed back the image of how she truly was at that moment and to forget how frail she looked outside of this dream. Her warm breath washed over his shoulder. He fisted his hand in her hair and pulled back gently so he could kiss her. What he meant to be gentle turned into a passionately needy kiss. It left her clinging to him and he used his hand to gently touch every inch of her. Soon he had her whimpering and shivering with pleasure.

They had waded out far enough that Isabella was floating in the water. Even though Rafa's hooves were still on solid ground he could feel his tail floating in the water and the cool water lapping over his back between these sensations and Isabella's kisses he was starting to feel weightless. He wanted to keep it tender and reassuring so she would know all would be well, but as always Isabella had other plans. She moved his hand under the sheet to feel it against her breast. Rafa growled as he felt the soft weight of her breast as she reached behind her and untied the sheet. It fell slowly into the water. She brought her legs close to Rafa. She tried to hold her body as close to him as she gently swayed with the water's current. Rafa pulled his head back to look into Isabella's eyes. They were now a beautiful sea-green showing him how arouse she was. His breath came out in gasps as he panted for breath. She brought her hips close to him and could feel the cool water move around his arousal as she moved. She pressed her mound against his arousal smiling shyly as she started to wiggle against it. Rafa groaned and pulled her closer trapping his arousal between them. She whimpered her approval as she kissed his shoulder. He smiled down to her and said "I had hoped to take the slow and sensual path so don't rush it my sweet."

She just smiled as he leaned down to kiss her again. He then kissed gently across her face until she felt completely relaxed in his arms. His grip relaxed slightly and that was his big mistake. She quickly moved her hips and placed the tip of his hard cock into her opening. "Don't," Rafa plead, "I don't have the strength to hold back and, to be tender. Isn't that what you want?" She just laughed as she slid more of his thick shaft inside of herself. She sighed as it stretched and filled her completely. She started to rock herself against him and then began the rhythmically squeeze that made Rafa groan. She sighed and moaned as she enjoyed the feel of his hard hot shaft buried deep inside of her. He fought for only a moment before giving in. He grabbed at her hips and held her still as he bucked into her hard and fast until the water that was lapping between them was frothy. She screamed as a wave of pleasure over took her. As he watched her orgasm, his own wave of pleasure over took him. And he followed her into the abyss. When was sure he could move again he carried her back to shore.

He was ready to lounge with her in the soft sand and hot sun. But the colors swirled again and he opened his eyes to find himself lying in Nat's hut again with her in his arms. He looked down to see her eyes were open but there were even darker circles under her eyes now. And she seemed even weaker then when she had first started to sleep in his arms. "I shouldn't have done that." Rafa said sheepishly, "I forgot how tired you are and how much it takes out of you." Her reply was to simply smile up at him as she gently kissed him on the chest. It warmed his heart and filled him with joy as she continued to nuzzle into him as she drifted off to sleep. Rafa nuzzled into Isabella as he let sleep overtake him.